Lavender could hold the answer to strawberry growers' blues.

Scientists at East Malling Research (EMR), near Maidstone, and the Natural Resources Institute, Chatham, are examining claims that chemical compounds found in the crop could combat a disease that costs the industry up to £12 million a year.

The European Union has banned artificial chemicals in strawberries and research is now focussed on ones derived from plants, including lavender.

The Government's Technology Strategy Board is funding the project which aims to develop new techniques for protecting strawberries against the soil-borne disease Verticillium Wilt. The Elsanta variety is particularly prone to the disease.

Biofumigation that uses plant-derived chemicals to control soil-borne diseases is seen as the solution to the problem. Scientists will concentrate on chemicals developed from lavender and brassica crops to suppress the damaging fungus.

Chris Atkinson, EMR's head of science, said: "Finding practical, alternative ways of tackling diseases like these is important commercially for growers and our ability to increase the amount of food we can grow in this country. It also offers significant benefits as it will enable growers to replace toxic chemicals with others that are much less damaging to the environment."

Several firms are involved in the project, including Berry Gardens Growers, Eden Research, BerryWorld, Sainsbury's, Tozer Seeds (Plant Solutions), K&S Fumigation Services and CPM (Retail).

The Kent scientists are also developing new varieties of strawberries that are resistant to soil borne diseases, including the Verticillium fungus, as well as having better drought tolerance which will help them adapt to climate change.